This course will explore the central debate in international journalism today: Should reporters maintain a policy of strict objectivity or should they seek to influence policy and/or bring about social change? Often, the words and images that move nations are the product of a journalist's own anger, pain or despair. This course will examine the impact when reporters take sides -- on society, on the coverage and on the reporters themselves. We will explore how journalists use words and pictures to effect change and examine the question of where is the line between reportage, analysis, informed opinion, and activism. Examples studied will range from Hemingway in Spain and Cronkite in Vietnam to Bosnia, Rwanda and Iraq. Readings will include some of the great war reporting in newspapers, television, photojournalism and non-fiction literature. The course will also examine how the rise of the Internet has changed the very definition of news.

The primary text will be The Global Journalist: News and Conscience in a World of Conflict by Philip Seib, supplemented by a CoursePack and recent news articles posted on CourseTools. Recent syllabus and additional information can be found on the professor�s website at

CourseTools

Various readings listed in the syllabus will be posted on CourseTools. Students are required to regularly check the CourseTools site for any additional reading for each class date. I will be posting additional required readings as the term proceeds.

The News

Participants in the class will be expected to scan The New York Times each day for relevant stories about Islam, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and terrorism. I suggest a free subscription to the email version, which can be obtained at http://www.nytimes.com/membercenter/. View the relevant top stories and then drill down into the �International� section. The point is not to test you on obscure details of international news, but to ensure that you are conversant enough with world events that we don�t have to make detours in class to explain references to recent stories.

There will be at least two pop quizzes based on NY Times headlines as above. You not are studying this topic in a vacuum, the you-know-what is hitting the proverbial fan and you should be watching to see how what we are examining applies in the real world, in real time. The quizzes are meant to ensure that you are.

If you are interested in the overseas perspective, the BBC�s excellent Media Reports site draws from news organizations around the world. It can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/not_in_website/syndication/monitoring/media_reports/default.stm. There is no shortage of other news sites around the world. I will post some links in CourseTools as the term proceeds and I encourage you to surf and find your own.

Assignments

Term Paper 20%

Current Affairs Quizzes 20%

Graded Discussions (2 at 10% each) 20%

Final Exam 20%

Seminar participation & attendance 20%

Term Paper: This 1,200-1,500 word paper will examine how three media outlets covered a specific news story of your choice. Details of the assignment will be posted on CourseTools.

A one-paragraph summary of the period/topic to be studied and the three media to be monitored should be emailed to me by the deadline listed below. Failure to meet the deadline will cost you five points off your paper�s grade, so early submission is encouraged. Both should be delivered to me electronically through CourseTools.

Current Affairs Quizzes: These are ten-question multiple-choice quizzes based on headlines from The New York Times in the areas of terrorism, Islam, the Middle East, and politics in the Muslim world.

Graded in-class �Fishbowl� Discussions: Two graded discussion sessions will be spread through the term (see schedule below). These will test your understanding of the concepts outlined in the readings and lectures. I will provide details in class prior to the sessions.

Final Exam: This will be an in-class multiple-choice exam with two short essay questions. It will be cover the broad themes of the course, including the media�s impact on policy, the characteristics of the various kinds of media discussed and related topics. The final scheduled class will be devoted to a review session but it will NOT be sufficient to substitute for class attendance. There is no excuse for missing the final exam, short of a doctor�s note, death in the immediate family, or your own demise.

Key dates

Term Paper Topics Due: Feb. 19, 9 p.m.

Graded Discussions: Jan. 29, Marc h 16

Term Paper Due: 3/31 9 p.m.

Final Exam: TBA

Participation

Students are expected to attend all classes and take a very active role in discussions. No absence will be excused without a doctor's note in the case of illness, an obituary notice in the case of a death in the immediate family, or notification by the student that he or she will be absent because of a religious holiday. Phone calls from Mom don�t cut it. Documents excusing absences must be presented to me the first class after the student's absence.

Any student who is late to class or absent should ask a fellow student, not me, for a fill-in on what the student missed and what assignments are due. Each student is to form a partnership with another student at the beginning of the semester in order to receive such information about whatever the student misses. Please do not email me asking what you missed and what assignments are due.

Students will be graded on their ability to comply with whatever assignments the class is given. Students should be fully prepared to discuss each day's reading assignment in great detail. A major part of the participation grade will depend on how readily the student takes part in all class discussions, asks questions about the reading, and discusses the reading in detail if called upon in class, showing that the student has read the material thoroughly. This is also true of real-time media coverage of relevant stories.

This is a communication studies class, folks, so I want to see/hear communication. However, this is also a class, not an opportunity to catch up on gossip. After 15-odd years in school, I assume you know the rules: Students who talk to their neighbors or are otherwise disruptive in class will receive a lower grade for participation, and may eventually be asked to leave. Any student who has a personal problem affecting his/her ability to take part in discussions should consult with me during the first week of the semester, or at the appropriate time if it crops up later (getting your tongue pierced is not an acceptable excuse. Do it during break.)

Cells, potato chips and other annoyances

This course is offered through the Communications Studies Dept., but since it is unlikely CNN will be calling you for an update, please turn off cell phones, pagers, interstellar communicators and all other devices that will intrude, distract or otherwise provoke a nasty look from me. Likewise, since there is little chance of famine in the local environs, please eat after class or get up a few minutes earlier and have a Pop Tart. Coffee and drinks are OK (since I�ll probably have one).

**Grading Policies**

Here is my policy on grading, borrowed in part from the School of Social Work:

� "A" grades are given for exceptional individual performance and mastery of the material. The use of "A+ (96-100)", "A (93-95)," and "A- (90-92)" distinguishes the degree of superiority.

� "B" grades are given to students who demonstrate mastery of the material. "B+ (87-89)" is used for students who perform just above the mastery level but not in an exceptional manner. "B- (80-83)" is used for students just below the mastery level.

� "C" grades are given when mastery of the material is minimal. �C+ (77-79)" for just above minimal. �C-� (70-73)" reflects less than minimal mastery of the material.

� "D" grades indicate deficiency.

� "E" grades indicate failure.

You don�t get a good grade just for �showing up.� Nor is effort alone sufficient to produce an above average (and �C� in my lexicon is considered average) grade. If you receive a lower-than-expected grade, do not tell me, �But I worked so hard��

For papers, grading criterion is as follows:

� Completion of assignment by deadline (including any topic submission deadlines): 10 points

� Demonstrated proper use of available research tools: 10 points

� Inclusion of all elements and components as outlined in assignment: 20 points

� Where appropriate, demonstrated ability to relate topic to readings and class discussion: 10 points

� Evidence of significant effort in completing the assignment: 10 points

� Demonstration of basic analysis and critical thinking skills that go beyond simply presenting source information and repeating the arguments/analyses of others: 20 points

� Quality of writing, including sentence structure, spelling and grammar: 10 points

� Proper use of APA format, including footnotes or in-text citations, and bibliography: 10 points

Deadlines

I am a reporter. I take deadlines seriously. Papers delivered after a deadline will be graded down at the rate of five points per day, e.g., an �A� paper will become an �A-� paper if delivered in the 24 hours following the deadline, and so on. There is a similar impact if you fail to deliver the paper topic notifications by deadline (or submit them on time without all required information).

Presentations:

All of the above criteria apply to presentations (should we have any), with the obvious exception of quality of writing, for which �quality of presentation� is substituted. Elements of this include both the verbal presentation and the quality of PowerPoint slides. I am not judging you on your artistic abilities, but rather on the ability to clearly and cohesively present information in an interesting manner. For example, slides jammed with blocks of unreadable 6-point type do not fit the definition, but I am likewise not going to give you points for using obscure fonts or a drum roll for your opening.

Reading long passages from the work of others does not constitute making a presentation (and doing so without providing attribution in the course of the presentation technically constitutes plagiarism).

Spelling, Grammar and General Literacy

With spell and grammar checkers, even those of us who came from TV (where no one knows whether it�s a comma or semi-colon) can produce clean copy. There is no excuse if you don�t. If I see red or green squiggles on a paper, it means you did not spell/grammar check, and you will automatically be penalized five points. This is a communications course, so I expect quality communications.

Plagiarism

According to the MLA Style Guide, plagiarism comes from the Latin for kidnapper. Here is the definition of plagiarism in the LSA Academic Judiciary Manual of Procedures:

�representing someone else's ideas, words, statements or other works as one's own without proper acknowledgment or citation. Examples of plagiarism are: Copying word for word or lifting phrases or a special term from a source or reference without proper attribution. Paraphrasing � using another person's written words or ideas, albeit in one's own words, as if they were one's own thought. Borrowing facts, statistics, or other illustrative material without proper reference, unless the information is common knowledge, in common public use.

Webster�s New World Dictionary offers a more concise definition:

To take (ideas, writings, etc.) from (another) and pass them off as one�s own.

Let�s be very clear: I will not tolerate violations of this tenet in either papers or oral presentations. For guidance on avoiding plagiarism in oral presentations, visit http://www.hamilton.edu/academics/rhetoric/citations.pdf. Getting caught plagiarizing in this class will not only ensure a failing grade, but will also bring down upon you the wrath of the university. For more info on the ramifications of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty, visit www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/standards/acadjudic.html.

Writing Skills

The library offers an excellent program to help students improve the quality of their writing: �The Writing Workshop offers daytime appointments at the Sweetland Writing Center to undergraduates and graduate students who wish to work on their writing in a tutorial setting. One evening a week, a consultant is available in the Mary Markley residence hall.� Details at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/swc/about/about.html#Anchor-undergrad

Research Skills

A special workshop on using the library�s electronic research databases will be offered to students in this class by the Communication Studies library liaison, Amy Robb. I will announce the date in class. The workshop itself will take place outside class time. I strongly urge you to attend this session. It is specifically tailored to the research requirements of this class. Even if you think you know all about the electronic databases, you probably do not (like other faculty members, I am constantly learning new, hidden resources).

There is no situation in this class that would require you to purchase articles from an online archive. Through the library, you have free access to a vast array of news media content. If you think you have to purchase articles, come to me first!

Again, you will be graded on your ability to do research, so I strongly urge you to attend this session. Meanwhile, here is a link to an online overview of the research process: http://www.lib.umich.edu/ugl/libguide/. Additional resources on the research and writing process can be found at http://www.lib.umich.edu/acadintegrity/students/research/

Paper Formatting

Papers should be double-spaced using 12-point type and APA or MLA style. Details on these can be found on the library website at http://www.lib.umich.edu/grad/readyref/citation.html.

Prior to writing your paper, I strongly urge you to download a free 30-day evaluation copy of Endnotes, a citation management software program, from http://www.endnote.com/endemo.asp, or a 30-day evaluation copy of Citation from http://www.citationonline.net/demoform.asp. Both allow you to easily input details of your sources then automatically create footnotes, in-text citations and bibliographies using APA, MLA or other styles. The advantage of Endnote is that you can directly import all the information from the library databases, and save typing it in yourself. Student copies of Endnote are available for purchase through the Computer Showcase at about $100.00.

Delivery of Papers

All papers should be delivered electronically. I do not want hardcopies (since it is much more efficient and effective to edit them in Word).

Contacting Me

Email is the best way to reach me. I regularly check it relatively late into the night. Don�t bother leaving phone messages at my office. I am generally in my office during scheduled office hours, but it is probably best to call or email first if you are coming across campus just to see me.

Changes

Of course, I reserve the right to change any element of the course requirements or schedule. It is your duty to check CourseTools to make sure you have the latest version of the course calendar.

Course Calendar

(subject to change)

#1 Tues. 1/6 Course overview: Where is the Line?

#2 Thurs. 1/8 The Journalism of Conscience

Reading:

Seib, �Introduction,� xi-xiv; �Collision,� 1-22. �Tearing Down Walls,� 23-37

CoursePack :

Neuffer, �Prologue,� xi-xix

Schanberg, �The Fall of Phnom Penh,�� 713-735

Herr, �Colleagues,� 187-191

Caputo, DelCorso�s Gallery, Chapter 28, 308-317

#3 Tues. 1/13 Empathy: Some of My Best Friends Are Killers

Reading:

Seib, �Passion and Dispassion,� 39-65

CoursePack:

Pintak, �Combatants,� from Seeds of Hate, 51-61

#4 Thurs. 1/15 Bias

#5 Tues. 1/20 Yellow Journalism: Dead Art or Alive & Kicking?

Reading:

CoursePack:

Streitmatter, �Journalism as Warmonger,� 68-84

Knightley, �Commitment In Spain,� 207-235

Taylor, �Applied Stalinism,� 154-171, �The �Famine� Is Mostly Bunk,� 210-223

CourseTools:

Fallows, �The Age of Murdoch,� Atlantic Monthly

#6 Thurs. 1/22 Literary License

Reading:

CoursePack:

Kapuscinski, �It�s Coming, It�s Coming,� from The Emperor, 57-76.

Hedges

Hemingway, �Fresh Air,� 243-256, 278-281

Gourevitch, Chapter One, from We Wish to Inform You� 15-43

#7 Tues. 1/27 The Original Embeds: Murrow & the Boys

Reading:

CoursePack:

Bernstein, �The Gathering Storm,� 11-37, �This is London,� 87-119, �Murrow�s Legacy,� 209-226

#8 Thurs. 1/29 Graded in-class discussion of readings to-date

#9 Tues. 2/3 A Primer on Media Research

#10 Thurs. 2/5 Vietnam

Reading:

CoursePack:

Knightley, �Vietnam� and �War is Fun.� 409-468

Halberstam, �Crucial Point in Vietnam,� in Lewis, Written into History. 25-32

Arnett, �Hill 875,� in Reporting Vietnam. 267-269

Hersh, �My Lai,� in Reporting Vietnam. 413-427

Emerson, �Copters Return from Laos with the Dead, in Reporting Vietnam. 509-511

Vogel, �A Flight into Hell,� in Reporting Vietnam.

#11 Tues. 2/10 A Matter of Balance: Israel & the Palestinians

Reading:

CoursePack: Pintak, �Jihad� (a portion) from Seeds of Hate. 235-241

CourseTools:

�NPR�s Mideast Problem�

�The Other War,� CJR

Rogers, �Expanding the Lens on Coverage of the Middle East,� Neiman Reports, 71-73

McNally, �Letter from Jerusalem: Caught in the Middle,� CJR

Vane, �Days of Rage,� AJR

#12 Thurs. 2/12 Middle East con�t

CourseTools:

Gabler, �Media Bias Myth,� The Los Angeles Times

Cunningham, �Rethinking Objectivity,� American Journalism Review

Crittenden, �Journalistic Objectivity is Casualty of Firefight,� The Boston Herald

CoursePack:

Erlanger, Serbia articles, The New York Times, from Lewis.

Strobel, �Objectivity,� from Late-Breaking Foreign Policy, 102-105

#13 Tues. 2/17 Journalist as Policy Advocate: Can/Should Reporters Set the Foreign Policy Agenda? (Bosnia)

Reading:

Seib 91-107

CoursePack:

Strobel, �Driving Fast Without a Roadmap, 57-90

Burns, �Elegy for Sarajevo,� The New York Times (from Lewis, Written Into History, 73-84

#14 Thurs. 2/19 Moral Combat

Feb. 24-26 Winter Recess -- Enjoy

#15 Tues. 3/2 Inside Nightline � Jay Weiss

#16 Thurs. 3/4 Journalist as Witness -- Humanitarianism

Reading:

CoursePack:

Strobel, �The Media and Relief Organizations,� 105-110

CourseTools: Posted articles

#17 Tues. 3/9 Refusing to Stand By � BBC correspondent

#18 Thurs. 3/11 Is Objectivity Real?

Reading:

Seib: �Witness,� 67-89

CoursePack: Allman, �Massacre at Takeo,� The Washington Post

#19 Tues. 3/16 Graded In-Class Discussion

Based on readings and class discussions to date

#20 Thurs. 3/18 Journalist as Activist: Wilfred Burchett

#21 Tues. 3/23 Journalist as Participant: �Peace Journalism,� and Other Forms of Involvement

Reading:

CourseTools:

Botes, �Journalism and Conflict Resolution,� from Interpreting Conflict

#22 Thurs. 3/25 The �Independent� and �Activist� press

Reading:

CourseTools:

See posted articles

#23 Tues. 3/30 The Power of Images � To Move and to Mislead

Reading:

Library Reserve: Nachtwey, Inferno (page through)

CourseTools:

�Nachtwey Interview,� The NewsHour

Jinman, �The Power of One Man�s Camera,� Sydney Morning Herald

Kealy, �Photographic Images Can Be Misunderstood,� Neiman Reports 64-66

CoursePack:

Caputo, Chapter 30, DelCorso�s Gallery, 328-348

Sontag, Chapter 9, from Regarding the Pain of Others, 119-126

#25 Thurs. 4/1 Love-Hate: Relationship with the Military

Reading:

CoursePack:

Herr, �Khe Sanh, V,� from Dispatches, 143-151

Pintak, �Taking the Hint,� from Seeds of Hate, 196-204

Knightley, �The Military�s Final Victory,� from The First Casualty, 501-526

Strobel, �Reporting the News Story, from Late-Breaking Foreign Policy, 91-102

#27 Tues. 4/6 Re-examining Objectivity: 911, Iraq and the World

Reading:

Check CourseTools for postings of recent coverage

#28 Thurs. 4/8 Anatomy of a News Story: Indonesia

#29 Tues. 4/13 Toward Borderless Journalism

Reading:

Seib: �Watching the World,� 109-121

#30 Tues. 4/20 Review session

Engaged Journalism

Fall 2004

Assignments

Key dates

Participation

Cells, potato chips and other annoyances

Spelling, Grammar and General Literacy

Plagiarism

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